


i thought i'd ask you just the same

by doingthemost



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: "A Little Bit Alexis", Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Musical Flirtation, Musical References, Musicians, Singing, Sort Of, The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:55:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27676364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doingthemost/pseuds/doingthemost
Summary: Does Alexis wish she could sing?Maybe.It's occurred to her once or twice. But then people's expectations would be higher than zero, and she'd have to try to meet them. It's always seemed like an awful lot of work for something that simply has to succeed, and it’s always been easy enough for her to make money off of simply entertaining people.This holiday album, full of covers of well-known songs and familiar melodies, is different. She’s not contractually obligated to do it, and putting out something serious when her public image is the exact opposite feels like a risk. But she figures: when has she ever turned down a challenge? Never, and she isn't letting twelve songs and the iTunes streaming charts change that any time soon.Alexis Rose, star ofA Little Bit Alexisand sole breadwinner for the entire Rose family, gets more than she initially bargained for when she decides to make a Chrismukkah album with the help of her new music producer, Twyla Sands.
Relationships: Alexis Rose/Twyla Sands
Comments: 44
Kudos: 42
Collections: Schitt's Creek: Frozen Over (2020)





	i thought i'd ask you just the same

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCFrozenOver2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCFrozenOver2020) collection. 



> A million thank yous to sonlali for talking me through this alternate take on these two dummies we love so much 💛
> 
> Dear singsongsung, I tweaked your prompt ever so slightly. (Okay, a lot.) I hope you enjoy the twist! 💜
> 
> Lastly, if you, the reader, are so inclined, put on [Kaskade Christmas Deluxe](https://open.spotify.com/album/1xGImGcWsxl2BiB3Ky7g6I?si=AnelpyiLRfK3TVcZYNgqiQ) as you read, since this is the vibe I imagine Alexis' holiday album has.
> 
> \--
> 
> **Based On the Prompt:**
> 
> After the smashing success of her first album, _A Little Bit Alexis_ , reality TV star Alexis Rose wants to make a Chrismukkah album. 
> 
> Unfortunately, Barbra Streisand's vocal coach has family plans over the holidays, so Alexis' team searches out someone else to provide vocal coaching. 
> 
> Enter Twyla Sands.

"It's not that I don't _love_ this, but..." Alexis places one hand on her waist, her eyes narrowing as she listens to the instrumental that's playing through the speaker. "It's just not really the vibe I was going for?"

She's being polite. Page Six had just run a story two days ago about how she supposedly threw a fit in Joe & the Juice – admittedly true – and was now banned – _not_ true, she hopes – and Alexis is more self-aware than she's often given credit for. She really likes this studio, even if the producer she has to work with doesn't really get her musical ethos, and she doesn't want to burn any bridges.

But really: what the fuck is a violin doing anywhere near an Alexis Rose track?

"I thought it would add some gravity," her producer says defensively, almost as though she can read Alexis' mind. Maybe she can; there have been plenty of these one-off coincidences for Alexis to watch Twyla Sands with suspicion. " _O Holy Night_ is supposed to have a little bit of... you know. Solemnity." 

"But it's like, Jesus' birthday party," Alexis says through gritted teeth. She doesn't know all that much about either side of Chrismukkah, but she knows that much. "It's a special occasion. It's time to celebrate!" 

"He's just been born," Twyla counters. "It's a miracle. It's – it's a _holy night_."

Alexis exhales audibly through her nose. Taylor referred her to Electric Lady Studios, and she doesn't want this to become, like, a thing her friend regrets. Besides: even if Twyla Sands holds literally every opposing opinion on music, no one else is available or willing to turn around an album this quickly.

She pulls the headphones off, running a hand through her hair to reset it, and purses her lips. "I'm gonna take five."

"Okay," Twyla says stiffly. She reaches for her cardigan, wrapping it around her loose, off-shoulder shirt and crossing her arms protectively over her chest. "See you when you get back."

  


~~

  


Life was a lot simpler when she wasn't the main breadwinner of her family. After everything had fallen apart with her father's sketchy business manager, Alexis' reality show was the only source of income they had. _A Little Bit Alexis_ went from a whim to an actual, serious venture overnight, and she feels the pressure of it every day.

The show has to do well in the ratings. The merchandise has to sell. The music has to hit the top of the streaming charts. And Alexis has to maintain her place as America's favorite no-longer-an-heiress long enough for her family to get back on its feet.

She's never had this much responsibility, but she's certain she's up to the challenge. And if a pretentious, hippie bohemian like Twyla Sands doesn't fully get where she's wanting to go with her art, well. Alexis is paying for the privilege of Twyla's work, so she's sure she can get Twyla to see things her way.

  


~~

  


Twyla smiles tentatively at Alexis when she returns from the hallway, and Alexis readies herself for another argument even as she plasters on a smile of her own. But all Twyla says is: "Ready to get back into it?"

"Hunny p." Alexis puts the headphones back on, then gestures for Twyla to hit 'play.' 

The track starts over from the beginning, and there's that violin again, weaving a quiet counterpoint on top of the beat they'd devised together. Alexis raises her eyebrows after a moment; it's not as overpowering as it had been just a few minutes ago, and she casts a look over at Twyla a few feet away, listening intently through her own headphones. 

"Twyla," Alexis says loudly, over the music. "Did you change it?"

"Yeah." Twyla's voice is raised, too, both of them practically yelling at each other, but the look on her face is more cautious than her tone. "I thought we could try a compromise and see if we like it."

Alexis taps her fingers on the countertop, considering this. At the adjusted volume, she has to admit the violin does complement the track. It's easier to let her mind fill in the blanks of where the melody would go, running counter to the violin line. She hums under her breath, aiming for the pitches she and Twyla had settled on together, then grins as she catches Twyla trying not to smile.

"Good?" Twyla asks, once the music fades away. Alexis nods, tacking on a shimmy, and they get back to work.

  


~~

  


Alexis has enough self-awareness to understand she's not the most talented singer. If she's being _honest_ , she wouldn't even really describe herself as having any vocal talent. But she knows she can perform, as long as her choreography doesn't stretch her too far out of her comfort zone, and she has a sort of enthusiasm that people seem to relate to. 

It helps that her original choreography for _A Little Bit Alexis_ went viral before her manager could even attempt to tidy it up. That sort of second-hand embarrassment is now her _thing_ , even if she balked at it at the very beginning of her musical career. And if at least one person's getting off on her music, then Alexis knows she's doing her job. 

So she's leaning into all of it now: the autotune, the over-the-top dance moves, the non sequitur lyrics. It's easier to brush it off when people say she can't sing or dance if she readily agrees that she can't. 

Does she wish that she _could_? Maybe. It's occurred to her once or twice. But she's always reminded herself that then people's expectations would be higher than zero, and she'd have to try to meet them. It's always seemed like an awful lot of work for something that simply has to succeed, and until now, it’s always been easy enough for her to make money off of entertaining people. 

This holiday album, full of covers of well-known songs and familiar melodies, is different. She’s not contractually obligated to do it, and putting out something serious when her public image is the exact opposite feels like a risk. But she figures: when has she ever turned down a challenge? Never, and she isn't letting twelve songs and the iTunes streaming charts change that any time soon.

  


~~

  


"So on this one," Twyla says one blustery, mid-November day, pausing the music right before the bridge comes in. "I was thinking that we could do some vocal layering here." She presses play again, starting back up on their first take of _Deck the Halls,_ then starts to harmonize with Alexis' vocals. 

She starts off quietly, just barely audible, before the melody of the bridge builds and Twyla's voice soars along with it. Her voice is clear and bright, with a sort of sweetness to it that contrasts with the edge in Alexis' voice that is still audible even through the autotune. She closes her eyes, too, as she sings, radiating the kind of saccharine earnestness that comes along with someone truly putting their heart into something that has always made Alexis want to cringe. 

This feels different, though, Twyla singing on top of her track. It feels like Twyla's seeing her for who she is, even if these lyrics aren't one she's written herself, and has spent a lot of time thinking about how Twyla herself can contribute. What's more, it sounds... good. Better than good, actually. It sounds really fucking great, the way Twyla's voice intertwines with Alexis' and carries a gentle harmony, and by the time the final chorus comes back around, Alexis can't take her eyes off of her.

Twyla sings all the way through the rest of the track, and she doesn't open her eyes until the track finishes, its final notes echoing in the studio as Alexis tries to wrangle her shock. She knows that Twyla knows music, is _passionate_ about music, if their fierce debates about 'authenticity' are anything to go by – plus one infamous incident in which Twyla had referenced 'real music' in a way that implied that Alexis' songs were anything but. 

If she's being honest, though, Alexis has always been a little intimidated by Twyla's musicianship, a little insecure about how Twyla saw her. And now on top of that, she has to grapple with the fact that Twyla can _sing_? 

"That was..." Alexis hesitates, grappling for the right words. They don't always get along, and she doesn't want to break the spell of what she just witnessed by inadvertently drawing Twyla into another argument. So she settles for the truth: "I didn't know you could sing like that. You have a really lovely voice."

A faint little blush spreads across Twyla's cheeks, adding dimension underneath her freckles, but she doesn't look away from Alexis. "Thank you. I actually love to sing, but only in my spare time." 

Alexis knows she could leave it at that. She could change the subject, draw the focus back to herself and the music Twyla's producing for her, but she doesn't. Twyla's voice is too clear and good and _special_ for her to let this go.

"You don't want to sing for, like, a career?" Alexis sweeps her arm, waving broadly at the studio. "You work here, and you have, like, all these connections. It's super easy to get a record deal."

"It isn't, actually." There's a frankness to Twyla's words that has always intimidated Alexis, and this time is no exception. It's a quiet sort of confidence that feels entirely unfamiliar. "And I guess it just never really occurred to me, putting myself in the spotlight like that."

There's something about the way Twyla looks at Alexis when she says that; it prickles Alexis a little, and suddenly she's back on the defensive. "There's nothing wrong with wanting the spotlight."

For once, though, Twyla doesn't pick up the debate that Alexis is offering. She just shrugs, a small smile on her face. "I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with it. It's just not really for me. I like producing music, and digging into it that way. I just also like singing for myself." 

"I see." Alexis can't fathom why, exactly, someone wouldn't want to take their undeniable talents and showcase them to the world at large. But she and Twyla don't have the kind of relationship where she can push and pry, and while that doesn't typically stop Alexis from doing just that, something about the look on Twyla's face makes her back off.

She settles on a compromise. Twyla has extended one to her, and she can return the favor. "You're really good at it. And – yeah. I want to do that layering thing on this one."

"Great." Twyla smiles at her, and for once it feels like they're on the same page.

  


~~

  


Twyla writes out the line she improvised, then plays it on the piano while Alexis tries to find each pitch one by one. It's slow going, though, harsh on both of their ears, and they're getting frustrated. 

It was different when she had existing, well-known melodies to match, or the songs from _A Little Bit Alexis_ that she knows fell very specifically into her limited range. She knows enough about music to tell that the line Twyla created isn't necessarily difficult, but the intervals are tricky enough for her to not always hit them right on key. She can already hear the critics' reviews in her head. 

"Twyla," Alexis says, interrupting, then makes a big show of clearing her throat. "Um, actually? The last time I did an album, I did all my backing tracks and my voice got _so_ tired and sore when I was done."

Twyla tilts her head, her fingers stilling on the keys as concern tinges her face. "It's happening now? You might be oversinging. Where do you feel it?"

"Here," Alexis lies, gesturing briefly at her neck. Before Twyla can say anything else, she adds: "And I was thinking that since I can't lose my voice, due to, you know. My show, and the other songs that I have to record... Maybe _you_ could record my backing tracks?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Twyla doesn't look all that unconvinced, though, in Alexis' very expert opinion, so she sidles closer toward her and takes a seat on the piano bench, forcing Twyla to scoot over to make room. 

"But you have such a gorgeous voice." Alexis puts on her best, most effective pair of puppy dog eyes, shifting her lips into a pout. "It would be _such_ an honor to have you on my album. Why not?"

"I work here." Twyla's mouth is drawn tight. "So that's kind of a conflict of interest."

Alexis shrugs, her shoulders wiggling back and forth. "So? I'm sure it happens all the time."

"Yes, but – I don't want it to be something where people think I'm just using this job, or using _you_ , to get famous." Twyla eyes are so green, Alexis realizes, even if right now they're looking way too stressed out. She isn't sure they've ever been this close to each other. "It's just simpler if I don't." 

Twyla pauses, then adds: "Is it because of the line? Because it's within your range, Alexis. We just have to develop –"

"It's not because of anything," Alexis cuts in, a little too brightly. "And I can sing the line, it's just... I told you, my voice is getting tired, so today's just not the day for me." 

Silence settles around them as they look at each other, both of them willing the other to give in, and thanks to the soundproof walls they can't hear anything else but what's around them. Twyla's breathing is steady and even, audible to Alexis' ears, and she's looking at Alexis with the kind of forthrightness that has always made Alexis feel a little on edge. 

"Maybe we should take a break," Alexis says finally. "Like, for the day." 

Twyla presses her lips together, her gaze flickering down to the piano, before she looks back up at Alexis. "If that's what you want… I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" 

"Yeah." But Alexis doesn't get up. Instead, she runs her fingertips over the keys and plinks out a major triad, glancing sideways over at Twyla, whose eyes are on her fingers. "I used to take lessons," she admits. "When I was a kid. One of the things my nanny tried to stick me into so I'd pick something up to keep me occupied."

Alexis plays the chord again, then tries to remember the pattern of the scales she used to stumble through. She can't quite remember where to tuck her thumb and switch, but Twyla reaches out and places her hand on Alexis', her fingertips light on her thumb as she shows her how to position it on the F to move the rest of her hand in place. 

She plays the scale up and down twice with her right hand this way, Twyla's hand still on hers, her arm stretching across Alexis' body to assist, and Alexis turns her head to meet Twyla's gaze. 

"Thanks." Alexis hasn't thought about piano in a long time, but she actually hadn't minded it as a kid. And for once, despite her strong suspicion that Twyla could roll out a harp and be an instant virtuoso at it, the ease with which everything seems to come to Twyla doesn't irk her. 

"Any time." Twyla smiles, brief and tight, but there's a hint of warmth in her eyes that Alexis is gratified to see. "Are you... Do you still want to go?" 

Alexis has other things on her schedule for the rest of the day – a photoshoot for Vogue and three public appearances in different corners of the city – but work's the last thing she wants to do. Feigning perpetual happiness is exhausting even on a good day, and she realizes that she likes that she can be herself here in this little recording studio, with Twyla. 

"No," she finds herself saying. "I think I'll stay, if that's okay with you." 

Twyla nods, trying to pull back on another smile, and Alexis smiles, too. "Let's get to work, then."

  


~~

  


"Hey, Twy?" Alexis says the next day. They're sitting at a table, sketching out the melody they want to go for on _Santa Baby_. Or rather, Twyla is – Alexis is doodling increasingly-intricate hearts on a spare piece of staff paper. 

Twyla puts her pen down, a patient look on her face. "Yeah? What's up?"

Alexis wills herself to let her words come out in a rush, before she changes her mind: "I was, you know. I was thinking about what we talked about yesterday. And I – we could try it." 

"We could try what?" Twyla asks, her forehead wrinkling. 

This shouldn't be this scary. Alexis has done what feels like _everything_ : she's jumped off the back of a motorcycle into oncoming traffic and swan dove off a yacht to escape into open waters. But nothing compares to the tremor she feels at the thought of singing – _actually_ singing – in front of Twyla Sands. 

She wants this, though. And it's not even about the public anymore, or whatever they'll have to say about Alexis Rose singing, unadulterated, on yet another holiday album. It's not about proving the critics wrong or even about proving herself right. It's about _her_. She wants to try this, to put herself out there and see what the unknown has to offer her. 

"If you want to try to do what you said," Alexis says finally, carefully. "Or what you've said before, a few times, actually – about you and me, and how you could give me a little vocal coaching?" Twyla nods, her eyes big and bright and patient, and Alexis draws from their clarity to finish: "I'd be up for it."

"Okay," Twyla says simply, without judgment, or pressure. It's a relief to discover that despite their bickering, their different perspectives and opinions on music, Alexis feels safe here. 

"Okay," Alexis repeats, then gestures with her pen at the melody Twyla had been sketching out. "I want you to show me how to do that. Like, for real." 

Twyla laughs, her eyes on Alexis', but it doesn't feel mocking. It almost feels like there's a weight lifted off of the two of them, something they were both shouldering without even realizing it. They're seeing eye to eye now, and Alexis suddenly can't help but wonder how many of their previous arguments and disagreements had been initiated by things she'd made up in her own head. How many fights did they end up falling into because Alexis misinterpreted a remark or a suggestion? 

"We can do that," Twyla says, pulling Alexis back to the present, and she draws back from the table to stand in one smooth motion. "And we may as well start now. Come closer?"

Alexis obeys, standing still as Twyla walks around her body and gently presses her hand against Alexis' torso. Alexis can feel the warmth of her palm even through her Givenchy dress, and she takes a deep breath as all of her senses focus on Twyla behind her, touching her, her breath on the back of her neck. 

"What are you doing?" Alexis asks, proud of how steady her voice sounds when she feels anything but.

"I want to show you how to use your diaphragm." Twyla's other hand finds purchase on the small of Alexis' back, her fingers digging in slightly, and Alexis feels like she's going to have a heart attack, like she'll keel over if it weren't for the steady pressure of Twyla's hands keeping her upright. "Take a deep breath." 

Alexis gives a little nod of her head, trying to do as she's told, but it's hard going when she's all too aware of Twyla's presence. She takes a breath, suddenly aware of just how shallow it is, and Twyla presses her hand a little more firmly against Alexis, digging slightly under her ribcage. 

"Try it again," Twyla says. She takes a big inhale herself, loud enough for Alexis to hear and mimic, and when she exhales, Alexis does, too. "That's better. Again?"

Alexis nods, her gaze dropping down briefly to Twyla's hand on her stomach and the pretty pink polish on her nails, before she straightens again and carries on. "Like this?" 

"That's perfect." Twyla's voice is low and steady, reverberating in Alexis' ears, and she splays her fingers across Alexis. "Now on the next inhale, pull all that air into your lungs, and press against my hand when you do it." 

Breathing this way is almost uncomfortable; Alexis feels like a balloon filling up, tensing under Twyla's hands like a bow drawn tight and ready for release, an instrument Twyla's playing. But it also feels _good_ , holding that kind of potential inside of her. 

"One more breath," Twyla instructs. "And then just... let it out. Doesn't matter what pitch, or what word. Just sing."

It seems silly, singing nothing, but Alexis opens her mouth and she's stunned at how much _power_ comes out. Twyla presses a little harder, and Alexis takes the cue, letting the air out as she exhales into the note, supporting her voice with her breath. 

The sound rings out long after she's stopped, echoing in her ears, and Alexis turns in Twyla's arms, eyes wide and mouth still open. "I did it!" Alexis' hands find Twyla's shoulders and squeeze as she tries to get a grip on her excitement; Twyla's grinning up at her, radiating excitement from head to toe, and for a moment Alexis considers pulling her into a hug.

But they don't have that kind of relationship – they're just temporarily colleagues, so to speak – so she drops her hands after a moment, stepping away from Twyla, and Twyla's arms fall to her sides. It doesn't dissolve their enthusiasm, though; Twyla's still beaming up at her, and Alexis grins back.

"I knew you had it in you," Twyla says, her eyes sincere. "The world isn't going to know what hit it."

Alexis ducks her head, unable to stop a smile. "Totally."

  


~~

  


As November makes way for December, Twyla drills her in vocal warmups and exercises, pacing and stretching her vocal skills. Alexis learns how to sing up and down scales, how to leverage the way her mouth forms different syllables, and how to cross the break in her voice. Every day is easier, and every playback sounds better than she's ever imagined it could. 

"Right at the beginning of the verse, I want it nice and chesty," Twyla says while Alexis is at the mic, pressing her lips together as Alexis tries and fails to contain a giggle. "You won't switch into head until the chorus."

Alexis wiggles her shoulders, meeting Twyla's eyes through the studio's glass and winking. "If I'd known that trained singing was so _dirty_ , I would've started years ago." 

"It's a musician's best-kept secret." Twyla steps from side to side behind the recording panels, her hands hidden. Alexis guesses she's fiddling with some sliders or turning some knobs, adjusting the instrumental and Alexis' own voice to where she wants them to be. "It's not like we're even talking about fingerings or anything."

Alexis' eyebrows raise. "Musical fingering is a _thing_?" she asks right into the mic, the wires carrying her voice straight into the headphones Twyla's currently wearing, and Alexis' lips twist into a smirk as Twyla looks up at her, her blush coloring her cheeks right in front of Alexis' eyes. 

"It is," Twyla admits. There's something in her gaze as she holds Alexis' stare, both of them almost daring the other to look away first. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you that."

"You started it," Alexis points out. 

Twyla shrugs one shoulder, her expression wry. "I guess I did."

Alexis feels breathless all of a sudden, despite all the deep, diaphragmatic breathing she's now learned how to access; Twyla's still watching her, her eyes warm and intent, but they're also just now finally getting along. And Alexis actually feels invested in what they're doing: she can _make_ music, instead of letting the music be in control of her. 

She'll never be Ari, but she's learned that she actually loves the tone in her voice when she's supporting herself with her breath. She can't risk giving all of that up. 

So instead of throwing her headphones on the ground, crossing the length of the studio, and pulling Twyla into her arms, Alexis stays put and flashes a smile. "Take it from the top?" she asks, and Twyla starts the track over again.

  


~~

  


"Twy?" Alexis asks another day, when they're listening to a playback of _What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?_ "I know this was, like, kind of a sensitive subject before, but."

"What is?" Twyla swivels her chair, turning to better face Alexis, her knee knocking gently against Alexis' leg. 

Alexis forces herself to go slow, speaking one word at a time. She's loving the new, unspoken peace between the two of them too much to rankle Twyla too badly. "I was wondering if the subject of you singing on my tracks was still off-limits?"

Twyla's quiet for a moment, studying Alexis. Her face isn't entirely closing off, but Alexis doesn't like watching the transparency on her expression fade away. "Why?" 

"Because I love your voice," Alexis says; despite her short-lived attempt at moderation, the words come out in a rush as she tries to take advantage of the opening Twyla's giving her. "And I honestly – like, I know that I could sing the lines you've written, thanks to all the help you've given me, but I... I really want it to be _you_ singing. With me, I mean. We sound _good_ together."

"We do." Twyla's still frowning, though, like she's trying so hard to hold onto something that's too heavy for her to lift. Alexis reaches out with one hand, placing it on Twyla's and running her thumb over Twyla's wrist. 

"Come on." Alexis lowers her head a little, meeting Twyla's gaze, and opens her mouth to sing. The lyrics pour out of her, nearly unbidden, thanks to the coaching Twyla's given her – _maybe I'm crazy to suppose that I'd ever be the one you chose_ – and she makes it through the whole verse before Twyla joins her. 

They sing together all the time, running exercises as Twyla plays an accompaniment on the piano, but they've never done _this_ before. Alexis keeps the melody going, steady and sure, and Twyla's voice flutters around hers, harmonizing above and below before meeting in a gentle unison as they sing _what are you doing New Year's, New Year's Eve?_

Alexis' hand is still on Twyla's, and as they go through the bridge and back into the final refrain, Twyla turns her hand over so her palm's up, pressing against Alexis', and for a moment it's almost like they're holding hands. And she can't help but notice how Twyla's chest rises and falls as she steadies her breathing, how the blue and white of Twyla's flowy blouse complement her skin and the freckles she can see even from where Alexis is sitting. She wants to kiss her so badly, so much so that she has to bite her tongue, dropping the harmony briefly, to stop herself from leaning in.

"Okay," Twyla says suddenly, breaking the silence. There's something almost plaintive in the way she's looking at Alexis, but then she smiles and her entire face lights up like a sunbeam, cutting through the chill of the winter outside and heating Alexis up from head to toe. "We do sound good together."

"Ooh, yay!" Alexis grins, squeezing Twyla's hand, and Twyla's smile broadens. "Let's do it, babe."

  


~~

  


By the time the whole album's recorded, they've put together something that Alexis is really fucking proud of. As much as she'd originally wanted to stick with her tried-and-true electropop, a direct contrast to Twyla's old-fashioned acoustic sensibilities, the blending of their two styles is something different. Something _special_. 

"I couldn't have done this without you," Alexis says, meaning every single word. Yes, it's being released under her name, and it's her that's front and center on the recordings, but everything about the album has Twyla's fingerprints all over it. 

She's never really understood before what 'producing' music entailed, but now that she's seen how much thought goes into every single snare hit, the takes that make it onto the album and the ones cast aside, the leveling of the different tracks to create the exact balance that Twyla wanted to achieve... "For real, Twy, I'm pretty sure you're magic." 

"Thanks." Twyla's smiling as she runs a hand through her hair, combing her fingers through the ends, her earrings chiming quietly with every move of her head. "But Alexis… I couldn't have done it without you. You're kind of a force to be reckoned with, you know." 

"I have been told that once or twice," Alexis says modestly. There's a little bit of a sadness tinging her voice, though; their working relationship is over, and the album's set to be released in a few weeks. She might never see Twyla again. "But you... reckoned with me."

Twyla seems to swallow a laugh, her eyes flickering down before they meet Alexis' again. Somehow, Alexis has moved closer to her without even realizing. "That I did." 

"Would you, um." Alexis has kissed both Harry and Meghan on top of a significant number of torrid affairs, some of them televised and most of them not, but she's never felt this nervous. Twyla keeps looking at her, though, in that knowing way of hers, and Alexis realizes with a sudden rush that it's... _good_ to be known. "Would you want to go out with me sometime?"

Twyla's quiet for a moment, for _too long_ of a moment, and Alexis suddenly wonders if she's read everything completely wrong. But then all of a sudden Twyla’s nodding, biting her lip although it doesn't do anything to stave off another one of those wide smiles of hers, and Alexis is pulling Twyla against her, bending her knees and dipping her head down for a kiss. Twyla's arms find their way around Alexis' neck, leaning up against her, and Alexis picks her up off the ground, her arms tight around Twyla's waist.

"Is that a yes?" Alexis asks, once they've both come back to solid ground, and Twyla laughs in her arms. _Yes,_ Alexis thinks Twyla murmurs against her lips as Twyla kisses her again, and as Alexis returns the kiss, it's Twyla's voice and Twyla's music that she hears in her head.


End file.
